


I'll Take Your World by (Sand) Storm

by Inastiel



Series: I'll Brave the Woods with You [1]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: F/M, First Meetings, Gen, Kid Fic, Kid Scott, POV Multiple, Pre-Canon, Pre-Series, Scott McCall & Stiles Stilinski Friendship, Scott and Stiles' Childhood, Sheriff Stilinski's Name is John, kid stiles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-08
Updated: 2015-07-08
Packaged: 2018-04-08 07:25:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,020
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4295871
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Inastiel/pseuds/Inastiel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Scott walks into this life-long friendship like it's quicksand - gradual and yet all too fast.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I'll Take Your World by (Sand) Storm

**Author's Note:**

  * For [weirdsoph](https://archiveofourown.org/users/weirdsoph/gifts).



> My knowledge of American preschools - or preschools in general - is rather limited, and, well, the last time I spent a substantial amount of time around four year olds I was four myself, and I don't remember that at all. I apologize for any inaccuracies related to either the behaviour of four year olds or preschools in general. Or parenting. Let's just assume most of this is guess work and leave it at that.
> 
> Also, my first Teen Wolf fanfic! Yay!

She gets the call close to noon.

“Claudia Stilinski speaking.” She answers, tucking the phone against her shoulder as she saves and closes the article she’s working on. There’s an awkward pause as the speaker on the other end gathers their breath, obviously not expecting the phone to be answered so quickly.

“Hello, this is Evangeline Grant at the Farrensburg Preschool center.” She hears, and Claudia’s heart skips a beat. “We’re wondering if it would be possible for you to come in half an hour early, as Stiles got into an argument with another student.”

 _Oh my god, Stiles,_  Claudia thinks, because it must be bad if they’re calling her. “How bad was it? Is anyone hurt?”

“There were no blows, no, just some tears and shouting.” Miss Grant – Claudia recognizes the name now – hurries to reassure her, but there’s still some hesitancy in her voice. “Stiles, he, well…”

“Yes?” Claudia prompts, reaching for her keys.

“Stiles urinated on another child’s sandcastle, and the argument hasn’t been resolved - Stiles doesn’t want to apologize, and the other boy involved is quite upset.” Miss Grant tells her in a rush, sounding flustered. She’s most likely used to dealing with angry preschoolers, but Stiles is a special brand of stubborn. Claudia feels a pang of sympathy for the teacher as she continues. “I don’t think Stiles will be able to participate in the rest of today’s program, given the circumstances, so perhaps it would be best if you take him home early.”

“Of course.” There’s a moment of pause as Claudia processes the fact her son _peed_ on another kid’s sandcastle and the big question of “why?” pops up in her head. “Do you know why Stiles urinated on the other boy’s sandcastle? He’s not usually cruel or violent.” Only when he’s provoked will Stiles be what you would describe as the four-year-old version of ‘cruel,’ and even then it isn’t often. When it does happen, Stiles retreats to formulate a plan of revenge, and then enacts it, indicating a remarkable aptitude for grudge-holding and problem-solving when something truly bothers him. It’s sometimes that often entails stealing the other child’s favourite toy and hiding it somewhere they’ll never find it until they apologize. (They’re working on that.)

Miss Grant makes a noise of agreement. “No, he’s not, and there isn’t any indication that the other child was antagonizing him. We tried asking Stiles, but all he says is that he didn’t do anything wrong.”

Claudia considers this, trying to match it up with past incidents, and gets nothing. “I see. Thanks for letting me know – I’ll be there in twenty minutes.” She says. Miss Grant murmurs a thank you, and hangs up. Claudia sits back in her office chair and allows herself a small smile. While she feels bad for the other boy, she is looking forward to hearing Stiles’ imaginative justification for peeing on another child’s sandcastle. She sends her husband a quick text explaining the situation and heads out, wondering what on earth she’s going to say to the other boy’s parents.

 

-

 

Scott McCall keeps his knees against his chest and thinks about his perfect sandcastle. He made it all by himself, as he had no one else to play with at this new preschool, and it was big and towering and beautiful – that is, until the other boy ruined it. Scott sighs, scrubbing the remaining tears off his face, and looks at the castle destroyer. He still can’t remember the other boy’s name. He’d feel guilty about that if the boy hadn’t gone and ruined his masterpiece, and then refused to apologize even though Miss Grant told him to. _With her grown-up voice_.

Scott’s eyes are drawn to the other chair as the boy starts kicking his legs back and forth again, looking frustrated and possible angry. Scott wonders if he’s going to pee on _him_ this time. It’s a horrifying thought, and Scott looks nervously at Miss Grant, who is sitting at her desk on the far end of the room. He would normally say she’d stop anything like that happening, but he also used to think that about Mr. Fergus, who was momentarily distracted by that Jackson kid when Scott’s castle was prematurely destroyed. It’s also clear that this other boy doesn’t listen to the teachers, given his refusal to apologize, even when they use their adult voices. A small part of Scott is admiring, but most of him is still upset about his perfect sandcastle’s destruction.

The other boy suddenly looks up and meets his gaze. Scott stares at him wordlessly, hoping to figure out why the boy would be cruel enough to break his amazing sandcastle. There’s no answer evident at first, but his mom told his dad that Scott was good at reading people, whatever that means, and so he keeps staring until the other boy snaps a “What!” at him.

“You peed on my sandcastle.” Scott says, trying to understand. “Why?”

“Why?” The kid repeats in disbelief, as if he can’t believe Scott would ask. His expression turns thoughtful and he sits forward, examining Scott with new interest. He even stills for a moment.

“I heard you telling Bobby that you were making your sandcastle for your mom and that you needed a bucket for the moat and so I looked for one but couldn’t find one so I thought pee would be just as good.” He says all in a rush, and then pauses. “I only drank one juice box though, so I couldn’t fill it. Sorry.”

“Huh.” Scott thinks back to his sandcastle and its unfinished moat, and reconsiders his opinion of the other boy. Peeing in it is actually a reasonable idea, he thinks, considering there was no way to get water into it.

“So you were trying to help?” Scott clarifies.

“Yes!” The boy looks relieved. “I wanted to help you make it perfect for your mom – no moat is complete when it’s empty.”

Scott nods in agreement, but then the image of his poor, collapsing masterpiece comes to mind, and he still feels confused. “So why’d you pee on my sandcastle too?”

Instead of answering right away the other boy drops his head. His pale cheeks colour with red, and Scott strains to hear him as he mumbles “I don’t have very good aim.” The boy’s fingers are going _tap tap tap_ against the chair, and it’s clear that he’s embarrassed. Scott thinks about his own troubles in that particular department and decides to forgive the other boy, even though his crime, accidental or not, was quite horrible – it was the best sandcastle Scott had ever made, after all.

There’s a slight sniffle from the smaller boy and something in Scott’s chest tightens. He hops down carefully and shuffles forward, wrapping his arms around him. He squeezes lightly and the boy unfreezes, putting his own arms around Scott. Scott pats him clumsily on the head, his fingers leaving sand in his brown hair. “It’s okay.” He says. “I forgive you.”

“Really?” He hears muffled against his shoulder.

“Really.” Scott reassures him, and then dips his head. “I miss too.” He whispers, his own cheeks heating up.

The boy laughs and then wriggles out of his hug, slipping down to the floor. He’s quiet for a moment, studying Scott intensely, but then he sticks his hand out with a grin. “I’m Stiles. Do you want to be my friend?”

Scott takes his hand and gives it a wobbly shake, beaming. “My name’s Scott. I’d love to be friends!” He tells him enthusiastically. He thinks Stiles’ name is weird but cool, just like him, even though he ruined Scott’s sandcastle.

Stiles beams back at him but then drops his hand, expression growing serious. “I’m sorry for ruining your castle, Scott.” He says quietly, and Scott can tell he means it. “It was a really nice one.”

“Apology accepted.” Scott tells him, echoing his mom when she and his dad finish fighting, and then smiles when the compliment registers. “Thanks! Do you want to make another one with me?” He asks, and he bounces on his toes, eager to start already. Stiles nods his head furiously and Scott grabs his new friend’s hand without a second thought.

“Where do you two think you’re going?” Miss Grant suddenly asks, and Scott jumps. He forgot she was there.

“To build a sandcastle.” Stiles says, as if it’s obvious. Miss Grant looks at their twin smiles and joined hands and shrugs.

“Alright, but no more peeing in the sandbox or fighting.” She warns with a slight smile. Scott grins and they both nod, edging toward the door.

“Come on Stiles!” Scott shrieks as soon as Miss Grant’s out of sight and it only takes a tug before Stiles is jogging alongside him, already plotting ideas on how to build the castle out loud.

“I won’t ruin it this time, I promise.” He tells Scott once they reach the sandbox, and he’s holding onto Scott’s hand tightly. Scott shakes his head.

“I know.” He says, confused as to why Stiles feels the need to point that out, but Stiles grins at the words. He doesn’t let go of Scott’s hand until they start on the castle.

 

-

 

Miss Grant is waiting for her when Claudia arrives. There’s an apologetic smile on her face. “I’m sorry for the trouble.” She tells her. “They seem to have made up on their own once left alone together. They’re in the playground right now with Mr. Fergus, but you can still take Stiles home.”

“It’s fine.” Claudia says. “No need to apologize.” She was just about done with writing her article anyway.

Claudia steps into the playground carefully, nearly tripping over a pair of shrieking children playing tag. She finds her son in the sandbox crouched over a misshapen pile of sand, laughing. There’s another boy with him, with a sunbeam smile and a mess of dark hair, who carefully places a stick in the highest lump. He gives the other stick to Stiles, who stabs it in next to its twin and grins.

“Now it’s the best castle ever!” He proclaims, and then catches sight of Claudia.

“Hi mom! This is my friend Scott!” He says, grabbing the other boy’s hand and waving it enthusiastically. Claudia waves back and steps into the sandbox carefully, crouching next to their sandcastle. Scott dips his head and smiles shyly.

“Hi Scott, I’m Stiles’ mom. You can call me Mrs. Stilinski.” She sees Scott mouth the last name with a frown, and shakes her head. “Actually, just call me Claudia.” She amends, and then gestures to the castle. “Is this yours?”

Scott brightens at the question. “It’s our sandcastle!” He exclaims, and the proceeds to point out each feature, with Stiles adding comments here and there.

Claudia nods approvingly once he’s finished. “It’s a fantastic sandcastle. If I was a little sand person I think I would live in there.” Out of the corner of her eye she sees Stiles perk up with the idea of a race of sand people, and she smiles, wondering how he went from peeing on Scott’s castle to making – or fixing – one with him. She surveys the castle carefully, but there doesn’t seem to be any wet sand in or around it. She asks anyway. “Is this a new one, or the one Stiles peed on?”

Stiles blushes and looks at his hands. “Miss Grant told you.” He says sheepishly, and she nods. “Sorry.” He mumbles.

Scott tweaks one of the sticks. “He was trying to fill up my moat.” He tells her solemnly, but there’s a spark of amusement in his eyes. “He just missed a bit.”

Stiles giggles a little, and Scott sits up fully. “I was a little mad, but it’s okay. He said sorry and then we made a better one! Do you think my mom will like it?”

Claudia shifts to a new position in the sand. “She’ll love it.” She says, and thinks that Scott’s mother will most likely prefer it over the one Claudia’s son tried to improve his own special way. She almost laughs again – at least she knows why Stiles went and peed on poor Scott’s sandcastle now.

“Next time ask if you can help first, okay Stiles? It’s good of you to try and help, but sometimes what we might think of as helping can be thought of as mean for someone else.” She says.

Stiles looks up at her with big golden-brown eyes and nods. “Okay mommy. I will.”

“That’s my boy.” She says, and is about to ask if Stiles is ready to go home when Scott looks behind her sharply. Claudia follows his gaze. Miss Grant is approaching with another woman in tow and Scott lights up at the sight of her.

“Mom!” he yells out, and the woman answers with an enthusiastic wave. Stiles leans over to Scott and whispers.

“Your mom’s really pretty.” He tells him, not as quiet as he thinks he is, and Scott’s smile gets impossibly brighter.

Miss Grant stops at the edge of the sandbox. “Just sign out when you’re ready.” She says, and then drifts away, leaving them to it.

The woman climbs into the sandbox without heed for her shoes and crouches down next to them, giving Claudia a greeting smile before turning to Scott. “Hi honey. Are you having fun?” She says to him, who nods happily. “And who’s this?” She asks, looking at Stiles, who is watching her with equal interest. Scott wraps his arm around him.

“His name’s Stiles. He helped me build the sandcastle. Do you like it mommy? We made it for you!”

“I love it, especially the moat. It’s amazing how smooth you’ve managed to make it.” She says, completely genuine. Claudia is impressed.

The boys both beam and chorus “thanks!” just as one of the castle’s sides collapses into the moat. They descend on it in an instant, and Claudia takes the pause as an opportunity to greet the other mother properly. She offers her hand.

“Claudia Stilinski. My son’s the one who peed on your son’s sandcastle. Sorry about that.”

The other woman shakes her hand with a grin, thankfully not looking to upset. “Melissa McCall, and don’t worry about it. Scott’s peed on his own sandcastle before.”

Claudia laughs, able to imagine that, and they both observe the two boys’ efforts to restore their castle to its former sandy glory. Stiles is currently waving a fistful of sand around, chattering about a sand people war as he helps recover the moat. Scott is staring at him like he’s the next best thing to sliced bread, adding in his own comments when Stiles slows down enough to take a breath. The two of them together could easily be a force of nature.

“They’re certainly getting along well.” Claudia notes as Stiles voluntarily gives Scott his favourite green spade, which he somehow produced out of nowhere. Claudia wouldn’t be surprised if he buried it in the sandbox so no one else could use it. “I don’t know about Scott, but Stiles is rarely so excited over friends.”

Melissa nods in agreement as Scott pats the wall back into place. “Scott’s usually quite shy, and it’s a new preschool for him – Stiles is the first friend he’s made here, at least.” Melissa tells her, and a pair of giggles rises up from the sandbox. Melissa glances at her watch and frowns. “Scott, honey, is your bag packed?”

Scott pauses and shakes his head. Stiles bites his lip.

“Let’s go get these bags packed then.” Claudia says, and climbs out of the sandbox. Melissa follows her, and then the boys once they finish admiring their sandcastle. Stiles gives Claudia a quick hug as Scott runs to where the bags are kept like a two legged cheetah, and Melissa calls after him to slow down.

“He has trouble breathing if he runs too much.” Melissa explains as Scott slows to a quick walk, scowling.

“Asthma?”

“We think so, but we have to wait until he’s five for an official diagnosis.” Melissa says, sounding a little bit sad. “He has trouble keeping friends when he can’t keep up, since most kids prefer to play tag rather than to slow down.”

Claudia feels a pang of sympathy. “I’ll talk to Stiles, if you’re both comfortable with that. He can be a bit over the top sometimes, and he has a terrible brain-to-mouth filter, even for his age, but I think he’d be considerate for Scott if I talk to him. He seems to like him a lot.”

Melissa gives her a grateful smile. They find the boys with half-packed bags, so Claudia collects Stiles’ lunch box and shoes and they sign out. They’re headed out to the carpark soon enough, and Scott plants himself firmly next to Melissa’s car.

“This is my car.” He tells Stiles solemnly. Melissa snorts.

“I don’t think so, mister. Your legs still have a lot of growing to do.” She says, shaking her head. Scott looks at his short legs and then scowls again.

Stiles snickers.

“You’re shorter than me.” Scott tells him, annoyed, and then they’re comparing heights.

“What do you think of a playdate sometime in the future? I make a mean coffee if you’re interested.” Melissa suggests as the boys bicker over who is taller.

“That sounds wonderful.” Claudia agrees. Stiles’ playdates with Heather usually go well, and she has little doubt a playdate between Scott and Stiles will be any different.

Stiles suddenly leans forward, face filled with a mischievous light, and whispers in Scott’s ear. Scott beams back and then Stiles is scrambling into Melissa’s car until he’s tucked beside Scott’s car seat. Scott climbs into the car seat with a bit of effort and stares innocently forward, as if Stiles isn’t in clear sight.

“They certainly look like they’ll be a handful together.” Melissa comments. Her voice is fond.

Claudia shrugs. “They’ll enjoy their playdates even more, then. They might even tire each other out.”

“That’d be the day.” Melissa half-jokes, moving forward to buckle Scott in. Stiles shrinks down against the seat, trying to hide, and Melissa shoots Claudia an amused glance. Claudia goes to the other side of Melissa’s car and opens the door, stifling a laugh as Stiles stays absolutely still.

“Come out, you little rascal.” Claudia tells him, grabbing him under the armpits. She drags him out as he shrieks and giggles, legs kicking. Scott pouts.

“You’ll see each other at preschool tomorrow.” Claudia says, and the pout reduces in strength. Stiles stops struggling and follows his mother back around to Scott’s side of the car. He awkwardly hugs Scott and the car seat he’s buckled in goodbye as Claudia gives Melissa her contact info, and then Melissa’s closing the back door and hopping in herself with a farewell.

“Bye!” Stiles waves enthusiastically as they pull away. Scott cranes his neck and they see his little hand wave back. It’s not until they’re out of sight that Stiles skips over to their own car, chattering happily away about Scott and how he can’t wait “for daddy to meet Scott!” and “do you think I’ll be taller than Scott when I’m big?”

Claudia smiles to herself as she buckles him in and pulls out of the parking lot. Stiles continues to talk about Scott the entire drive, and when Deputy Stilinski arrives home from work Stiles launches into a detailed meandering account of his day to his father as well.

They’re doing the dinner dishes when John leans over, kissing her on the cheek. “Stiles really likes this Scott kid, huh?” He comments, handing her a dripping plate.

“He’s been talking nonstop about him since I went to pick him up, so I think that’s a yes.” Claudia dries the plate and puts it on the stack carefully. “His mother – Melissa – suggested a playdate. I think it’s a good idea.”

“Like what Stiles does with Heather?”

“Exactly.”

“Do you think they’ll get into another argument?” John worries, scrubbing at a particularly stubborn stain.

“Most likely, but they sorted themselves out last time. I talked to him about the peeing thing, by the way, and I think they’ll be fine as long as Stiles doesn’t get too overeager to help like that again.” Claudia takes the stack and puts it away as John places the last of the wet dishes to the side. The drain empties with a gurgle and they fall into a comfortable silence as they both clean up.

“And to think he managed to make a friend by _peeing_ on the kid’s sandcastle.” John muses, and then they’re both laughing helplessly. Stiles comes bounding down the stairs at the sound and joins in despite having no idea what the cause is, smiling like everything is right with his world.

Claudia regains control of herself and lets out a few more wheezes before taking Stiles by the hand. John’s smiling widely even after he stops laughing and it fills Claudia with affection – it’s nice to see him unbound by the despair and horror his job can bring at times.

“It’s time for bed, kiddo.” John says and Stiles makes a low whine of unhappiness in his throat.

“Pfft. Bedtime is great. Do you know what bedtime means, rascal?” Stiles shakes his head at her, eyes widening in anticipation – he already knows, really. “It means daddy and I read you a bedtime story.”

Stiles’ expression instantly brightens at the words, and he takes off up the stairs, scrambling to get into his pyjamas.

“What are we reading for him tonight?” John asks. It’s Claudia’s turn to pick the story, and she already has a few choices lined up.

“I have four options: Br'er Rabbit stories, a mostly preschooler friendly book about Greek mythology, and a few kitsune stories that I can simplify down easy enough. Did you know that in western folk tales foxes were predominantly seen as male, whereas in eastern folk tales they were usually portrayed as female?”

John follows her up the stairs, shaking his head. “No, I didn’t. That was three options – what was the fourth?”

“ _Hairy Maclary from Donaldson's Dairy_ , which may be the better choice considering how energetic he is right now.” They hear a thump from Stiles’ room as he closes one of his drawers.

John chuckles. “Yeah, go with the Hairy one.”

They find Stiles already in bed with his teddy when they go in, the boy almost buzzing with anticipation. For a four year old he reads surprisingly well, but he prefers to have his parents read to him, mouthing along with any repeating lines. Claudia and John climb onto the bed and John begins.

 

“Out of the gate

and off for a walk

went Hairy MaClary

from Donaldson’s Dairy…”

 

Stiles is almost completely asleep by the time they finish, even though he made a valiant effort to read along with them. John brushes his hair back and kisses his forehead, whispering ‘goodnight kiddo.’ Claudia smiles and does the same, but Stiles reaches up and grips her sleeve with his chubby fingers.

“Will Scott be there tomorrow?” He asks, sleepy and trusting, and Claudia nods.

“He’ll be there, sweetie.”

Stiles’ expression breaks into a soft smile. “Good. I like Scott.” He declares and then lets go of her sleeve. “G’night mommy. Love you.”

“I love you too.” She says, and Stiles snuggles back under the covers with his teddy. John has already switched on Stiles’ space-themed light night, and so she turns off the main light, partially closing Stiles’ door behind her. John is waiting in the hallway.

“He really does like the kid.” John says, glancing at the door. “I hope it lasts. The last thing Stiles needs is another kid telling him he’s too odd to play with.” He says quietly, taking her hand.

Claudia gives his hand a reassuring squeeze. “Scott seems like a good kid. Who knows? They might even become the best of friends.”

John smiles at the thought, and Claudia finds herself looking forward to it.

**Author's Note:**

> Tyler Posey and Dylan O'Brien have stated in interviews that they think Scott and Stiles met in a sandbox at the age of four, and Tyler Posey adds that Stiles then peed on Scott's sandcastle. So, sort of canon.  
> Watch them here:  
> fangirlish.com/dylan-obrien-teases-glimmer-nycc-2013/  
> fangirlish.com/tyler-posey-on-how-scott-and-stiles-met/  
> youtube.com/watch?v=KasA7m7upOY
> 
> Hairy Maclary from Donaldson's Dairy is the first in a series of children's picture books by Lynley Dodd. I don't own or have any connection to the author or the work. It's not mine. At all.


End file.
